Door operating mechanism



D 1951 a M. M. MATCHETT 2,580,311

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1947 2 SHEETS -SHEET*1 4| I F G INVENTOR.

MAHLON M. MATCH ETT BY I ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 195] T 2,580,311

7 DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1947 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. MAHLON M. MATCHETT Patented Dec. 25,1951

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Mahlon M. Matchett, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to McKeeDoor Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 24, 1947, Serial No. 736,875

4 Claims.

both opening and closing movement of an overhead swinging garage door of the type in which the top of the door is movable rearwardly along substantially horizontal tracks and the bottom of the door swings outwardly and upwardly about fixed pivots which are located intermediate the top and bottom of the door.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide power operating mechanism comprising a system of pulleys and a cable which has a portion movable substantially horizontally adjacent the top of a door opening for attachment to the rearwardly movable top edge of a garage door.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide power driven mechanism for moving a garage door between open and closed positions including means for locking the door in either open or closed position by deenergization of the motor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide power operating mechanism for a garage door of the type having its upper end movable horizontally along spaced tracks and its lower end swingable outwardly and upwardly from closed position about a fixed pivot, said mechanism comprising a single cable having spaced runs paralleling the horizontal track along which the upper edge of the garage door movable and means for effecting appropriate movement of said cable to open and close said door.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the power operating mechanism associated with a garage door;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the operating cable;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the power operating mechanism and its attachment to one corner of the garage door;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the attachment of the power operating cable to the other corner of the garage door;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the power operating mechanism; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on the line --6 of Figure 5.

spiral or helical grooves.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is illustrated a garage 10 having a door opening II therein in which is mounted a movable door l2. The door is provided with a pair of rollers l3 adjacent the top corners of the door which are movable horizontally along spaced, parallel, horizontal tracks l4. Levers l5 are pivoted intermediate their ends as indicated at It inside the garage and at the sides of the door opening II. The levers have short arms H, to the ends of which are secured tension springs !8, the lower ends of the springs being anchored within the garage structure as indicated at [9. Levers I5 also include relatively long arms 20 which are secured at their ends adjacent the lower corners of the garage door as indicated at 2!. Accordingly, as the door I2 moves between open and closed position its upper edge moveshorizontally away from and toward the door opening I I along the spaced, horizontal tracks l4. At the same time the lower edge of the door moves in an are about the pivot axis 16 of the leversl5. In its open position the door assumes a nearly horizontal overhead position, at which time it is completely out ofthe way of a vehicle entering the garage and at the same time, in reaching this position no portion of the door has extended substantially above the horizontal plane of the tracks HL,

Doors of this type are well known and details of the door or its mounting form no part of the present invention. I

The present invention concerns itself with power operating mechanism adapted for association with a garage door of the type specifically described above. Briefly described, the power operating mechanism comprises a continuous operating cable 25 which is disposed as best seen in Figure 2 and is associated with a driving drum 26.

Referring to Figure 2, the power operating mechanism comprises a system of pulleys of which the drum 26 may be considered as one. These pulleys comprise a small pulley 2T adjacent to the drum 26; pulleys 28 and 29 located adjacent the top'corner of the door opening ll across from the pulleys 26 and 27; pulleys 30 and 3! located generally above the pulley 21 and drum 25; pulleys 32 and 33 located generally above the pulleys 28 and 29; pulley 34 located adjacent the rear of one of the tracks M and a pulley se located adjacent the rear of the other track [4.

The drum 26, as indicated in Figure 3, is provided on its periphery with a pair of separated Preferably the ends of the cable are secured to the drum 26 and the arrangement is such that when the door is in one limiting position, either open or closed, substantially all of the turns of the cable on the drum are located on one or the other of the two separated spiral grooves.

In order to understand the operation of the cable in effecting opening and closing movement of the door, it will be traced from the drum 26 as seen in Figure 2. From the drum 2 6 the cable leads first around the pulley 34 and thence to the pulley 21, thus providing a straight run 25a of the cable which extends horizontally, generally parallel to one of the tracks l4. The relationship between the run 25a of the cable and the track I4 is best illustrated in Figure 3. The cable leads from the pulley 34 beneath the pulley 21 over the pulley 3|, thence over the pulley 33 and under the pulley 28 to the pulley and thence back beneath the pulley 29. Intermediate the pulleys 29 and 35 there is thus provided a second horizontal run 25b of cable which parallels the other track 14, being located generally beyond such track, as best seen in Figure 4. From the pulley 35 the cable leads under the pulley 29, over the pulley 32, thence over the pulley 36 and back to the drum 26. The lengths of cable extending between the pulleys 3| and 33 on the one hand and 30 and 32 on the other hand cross as seen in Figure 2 so that the straight, parallel runs 25a and 25b of the cable move simultaneously in the same direction when the drum 26 is rotated. In order to effect. rotation of the drum 26, power mechanism best seen in Figure 5 is employed. This mechanism comprises a support 46 mounted on a bracket 4| bolted or otherwise secured to the inside of the garage at one side of the door opening I I and generally adjacent the top of such door opening. The support 40 is bifurcated to provide spaced portions 42 and 43 between which is journaled a shaft 44 having an extending portion 45 which carries a worm 46. Keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 44 beyond the portion 42 of the support is a sheave 47. Mounted on the support 40 is an electric motor 48 having a shaft 49 which carries a driving sheave 50, the,

sheaves 41 and 50 being interconnected by a belt or the like 5|.

The extending portion 45 of the shaft 44 extends into a transmission housing 52 in which is mounted a worm gear indicated at '53 which meshes with the worm 46. The worm gear 53 is keyed or otherwise secured to a shaft which extends from the housing 52 and is keyed or otherwise secured to the cable driving drum 26. The housing 52 is supported by a bracket 55 which is secured to a portion of the garage and which'together with the bracket 4| affords a firm, rigid support for the support 40 and housing 52 and parts carried thereby.

In order to retain the beneficial use of the entire area of the door opening II, the power operating mechanism is disposed laterally at one side of the door opening. Also, in garage doors of this type the tracks [4 are disposed at one side of the door opening, as well illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. As previously stated, the portions of the cable 25 which parallel the horizontal tracks 14 are located outwardly therebeyond. Accordingly, the problem is presented of intercomnecting the horizontal runs 250, and 25b of the cable with the door. In order to accomplish this result, brackets are provided, each of which has spaced ears 6| and 62. provided. The connecter 63 has a straight portion 64 which extends through openings provided in the ears BI and 62 so as to provide for pivoting of the connecter 63 about the axis of the openings in the ears 6! and 62. Outwardly from the straight portion 64, the connecter 63 has a downwardly bent portion 65 and then an outwardly extending straight portion 66 which extends generally beyond the track l4. At the end of the straight portion 66 the connecter 63 is provided with an upwardly bent portion 61 and a forwardly bent portion 68 which is adapted to lie along a portion of the cable 25. Clamping means are provided for attaching the cable to the forwardly extending portion 68 of the connecter and this may take the form of an open-sided clip 16 having a set screw 1| threaded therein and adapted to clamp the cable 25 between a portion of the clamp and the portion 68of the connecter.

The drive between the motor 48 and the drum 26 includes the worm 46 and the worm wheel 53 so that an irreversible driving means is provided. In other words, if the motor 48 is deenergized, the door [2 is locked against displacement in either open or closed position by virtue of the irreversible driving connection between the worm gear and worm, which prevents displacement of the door by forces applied directly thereto when the motor 48 is deenergized.

While there is illustrated and described a single preferred embodiment of my improved door operating mechanism, it will be understood that this complete disclosure has been made merely to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Power operating mechanism for a tilting garage door of the type having spaced tracks extending rearwardly from adjacent the top of the door opening at opposite sides thereof, said tracks being located laterally beyond the sides of said door opening, rollers carried by the door adjacent the top corners thereof and movable along said tracks, said power operating means comprising; a single cable having runs extending parallel to said tracks and spaced outwardly therefrom, power means for moving said cable, and connecters carried by said door adjacent its 7 top corners and secured to said cable, said con- A connecter 63 is necters comprising brackets mounted adjacent the top corners of said door, arms pivotally carried by said brackets and extending outwardly beyond said tracks, and means securing the ends of said arms to said cable.

2. Power operating mechanism for a tilting garage door of the type having spaced tracks extending rearwardly from adjacent the top of the door opening at opposite sides thereof, said tracks being located laterally beyond the sides of said door opening, rollers carried by the door adjacent the top corners thereof and movable along said tracks, said power operating means comprising: a single cable having runs extending parallel to said tracks and spaced outwardly therefrom, power means for moving said cable in either direction, and connecters carried by said door adjacent its top corners and secured to said cable, said connecters comprising brackets mounted on the inner face of said door, arms pivotally carried by said brackets and extending outwardly beyond said tracks, the intermediate portions of said arms being U-shaped to extend around said tracks, and clamps securing the ends of said arms to said cable.

3. For use with a garage door having a corner portion guided for movement in a trackway adjacent the side of the door, a coupling for securing the door to an actuating cable having a run parallel to the trackway and located at the opposite side of said trackway from said door, said coupling comprising a mounting bracket on said door, a connector arm pivotally secured to said bracket, said arm having a U-shaped portion partially surrounding the trackway and means at the free end of said arm for clamping to the actuating cable. 7

. 4. A coupling for securing a corner of a tiltable garage door to an actuating cable located parallel to and beyond a trackway in which guide means on the door are slidably received, comprising a bracket for attachment to the door, said bracket having spaced apertured ears, an am having an end portion pivotally received in the apertures in said ears, cable clamping means at the opposite end of said arm, the intermediate portion of said arm being displaced transversely to provide clearance for the trackway.

MAHLON M. MATCHETT.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb-er Name Date 1,465,695 Stewart Aug. 21, 1923 1,868,233 Hungerford July 19, 1932 1,933,700 Blodgett Nov. '7, 1933 1,940,485 Beeman et al Dec. 19, 1933 1,941,574 Nichols Jan. 2, 1934. 1,957,990 Austin May 8, 1934 2,074,343" Steiner Mar. 23, 1937 2,084,733 Kahliff June 22, 1937 2,153,359 Anderson et a1. Apr. 4, 1939 2,175,906 McCormick Oct. 10, 1939 2,204,638 Weathers June 18, 1940 2,335,336 Zoller Nov. 30, 19 3 2,343,951 Blodgett Mar. 4, 1944 2,426,690 Hughey Sept. 2, 19 

